The changes would cost the food and retail industries millions of pounds as items would have to be individually weighed to ensure the accuracy of the label.

Trade magazine, The Grocer, said food industry sources had described the move as "bonkers" and "absolute madness". Its editor, Adam Leyland, said the EU had "created a multi-headed monster".

Caroline Spelman said: "This goes against common sense. Shopkeeping is a long standing British tradition and we know what customers want. They want to buy eggs by the dozen and they should be allowed to – a point I shall be making clear to our partners in Europe."

The Food Standards Agency also indicated it opposed the change and that the regulation was still in draft form. A spokeswoman said the draft law was "an oversight" rather than a serious proposal.

However, Gordon Polson, director of the Federation of Bakers, said: "The problem is now the exemption has been omitted from the legislation, it will be very difficult to get it put back in."

Andrew Opie, food director of the British Retail Consortium, which represents 90 per cent of UK shops, said: "This is a bad proposal – we need to help consumers, not confuse them."